The Ultimate Fighting Championship presents UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera on Saturday from the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England. The event will air on tape delay on Spike TV beginning at 8 p.m. and feature five bouts. Here are my picks for the five featured fights:

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs) – Randy Couture (16-10) vs. Brandon Vera (11-3) – This fight features two former heavyweights that have dropped down to light heavyweight after struggling in the larger weight class. Couture is a Hall of Fame fighter that has won multiple titles in both divisions, but has lost his last two matches. The key in this fight will be whether the fight remains standing or if it goes to the ground. Couture has the edge on the ground while Vera has the edge standing. I expect Vera to come out highly motivated and on top of his game, using his speed and extensive strikes to get the best of Couture, who seems to be lacking in the ability to control fights right now. Look for Vera to win a second or third round TKO.

Welterweight (170 lbs) – Mike Swick (14-2) vs. Dan Hardy (22-6) – This match is a No. 1 contenders match, with the winner getting to fight UFC champion Georges St. Pierre in their next match. Both fighters will look to strike as each thinks they have faster and stronger hands than their opponent. The key for this fight will be which fighter has the ability to win the battle on the ground as that is likely where it will end up in the later rounds. I like Swick’s quickness and takedown ability to earn him a decision win over the game Hardy.
Middleweight (185 lbs) – Michael Bisping (18-2) vs. Denis Kang (32-11-1) – Bisping is coming off his first knockout loss at UFC 100 and how he handles that loss will be the key in this fight. Sometimes after losing by knockout, fighters come back tentative and unwilling to mix it up for fear of getting knocked out again. Bisping has to trust his abilities in order to beat Kang, who is an experienced and well-rounded fighter. Bisping was becoming a tentative fighter prior to his KO loss, and I expect him to be the same in this fight, which will allow Kang to control the fight and earn a decision win.

Welterweight – James Wilks (7-2) vs. Matt Brown (12-7) – Wilks is making his UFC debut after winning the Ultimate Fighter Season Nine. His first fight isn’t easy, as he gets the ultra tough Brown, who can take the fight anywhere. Wilks will be looking for a submission while Brown will be looking to strike. The key in this fight is Wilks lack of experience against marquee fighters, which Brown has been able to establish in his last year with the UFC. Brown’s toughness should be able to carry him past Wilks, who will put up a good effort before getting over-powered by Brown in a third round TKO.

Lightweight – Ross Pearson (11-3) vs. Aaron Riley (28-11-1) – Like Wilks, Pearson is making his UFC debut after winning the Ultimate Fighter Season Nine. Pearson also steps into a tough first fight, as he faces Riley, who has 40 professional fights in his career. Like Wilks, Pearson lacks experience against a fighter of Riley’s caliber, while Riley has faced plenty of fighters with equal talent to Pearson. Pearson is a submission specialist, but Riley has the defense to counter Pearson’s strength. Look for Riley to simply out-class Pearson on his way to a decision win.

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]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/14/ufc-105-picks-predictions/feed/ 1 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/08/29/ufc-102-picks-and-predictions/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/08/29/ufc-102-picks-and-predictions/#comments Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:03:13 +0000 Drew Ellis http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=23272

UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira takes place tonight from the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Ore. The fight card is filled with interesting matchups, headlined by the main event of heavyweight legends Randy Couture and Antonio Minotauro Nogeuira. Here are my thoughts on the fights.

Heavyweights (265 lbs. max) – Randy Couture (16-9) vs. Antonio Nogueira (31-5-1): This fight is crucial for both fighters to win to keep their career meaningful and to stay in the heavyweight title picture. Both are coming off second round TKO losses, and both look to be on the downsides of their career. Couture is in his mid-40’s and though he is in great shape, his body has to be wearing down. Nogueira is only 33, but looks like he is in his 50’s because of all the wars he has been in through his life. Essentially I see Couture having the edge in this fight because his striking seems to be more advanced than Nogueira. Nogueira can only win by submission, and Couture is very good at avoiding submissions. I see Couture out-striking Nogueira on the feet and in the clinch and scoring some occasional takedowns to earn the decision victory.

Light Heavyweights (205 lbs. max) – Keith Jardine (14-6-1) vs. Thiago Silva (13-1): This co-headline fight is also a crucial fight for both athletes. Each is coming off a loss and both are trying to stay relevant in the light heavyweight contender picture. I think Jardine has the edge in this fight because of his experience against other top fighters. Silva has just one marquee fight, and that was a first round KO loss to Lyoto Machida. That was Silva’s first loss and many times you see fighters come out more tentative after getting knocked out for the first time. Silva can’t do that in this fight or else he will certainly lose. Jardine does have a suspect chin that Silva could connect on, but ultimately I see Jardine using his kicks and unorthodox striking to pick up the decision win.

Middleweights (185 lbs. max) – Nate Marquardt (31-8-2) vs. Demian Maia (11-0): This fight to me is the most intriguing fight on the card. Both fighters are fighting their best right now and each one is considered one of the top contenders for the middleweight title. Maia has rolled in the UFC, racking up a 5-0 UFC record with all his wins coming by submission. He has breathed new life into submission fighting with his ability to get his opponents into bad situations. The one weakness Maia seems to have is inferior striking, which he needs to have in this fight to get Marquardt to the ground. Marquardt is very rounded and very strong for a middleweight fighter. Marquardt will look to keep the fight on the feet where he can out-strike Maia. Maia hasn’t been pushed by someone like he will tonight and I don’t see him catching a submission without being able to land a big strike on Marquardt. For that reason, I see Marquardt getting a decision win or a third round TKO.

Middleweights (185 lbs. max) – Chris Leben (18-5) vs. Jake Rosholt (5-1): This fight features an up-and-coming fighter in Rosholt against a veteran that hasn’t quite found his way to the top in Leben. Leben is a powerful striker that has glaring weaknesses that have cost him fights in the past. Early in his career, Leben struggled to avoid takedowns and lost by decisions and submissions. Now, his opponents are out-boxing him by using quick strikes and avoiding his telegraphed haymakers. Rosholt is a talented wrestler that was a three-time NCAA Champion at Oklahoma State and is now trying to make that into a MMA career. Rosholt can get this win if he times out Leben’s strikes and scores takedowns where he can then control the fight. But, as Leben has grown as a fighter, his ground game has improved and I think this fight will keep on its feet where Leben will get the KO in round three.

Light Heavyweights (205 lbs. max) – Brandon Vera (10-3) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (19-9-1): This fight comes down to some basic UFC principles. First, this is the biggest fight in Soszynski’s career and the nerves for him will be at an all-time high. Second, Vera’s three losses have all come to top heavyweight or light heavyweight fighters. He isn’t a slouch. Third, Soszynski has most of his wins come by submission and Vera has never been submitted and likely won’t be in this fight. Soszynski is a big, strong guy that could land a lucky punch, but I see Vera using his kicks and quickness to out-strike Soszynski. I think Vera will ware down Soszynski and eventually get the TKO in round three.

With UFC 100 a week away on July 11, I decided to look back at what got the UFC to this point. Here is my take on what I believe are the 10 most significant fights in UFC history, helping the company become what it is today.

1. Stephan Bonner vs. Forrest Griffin – Ultimate Fighter Finale 1: This fight was not only the most memorable fight to watch, but may also be the fight that really pushed the UFC into the next level of mainstream popularity. Following the debut season of The Ultimate Fighter, a show which UFC President Dana White and co-owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta funded out of their own pocket, the finale took place live on Spike TV, which was airing live fights for the first time in the history of cable television. The UFC knew it needed something big to happen to not only keep a cable television deal, but earn future advertisers, and also prolong its reality show for future seasons. Bonner vs. Griffin delivered just that. The two fought to the very end and both were so even, it was impossible to decide a clear winner for most fans. The fight at one point drew 10 million viewers, which was just what the UFC needed. The back-and-forth, non-stopped action gave the UFC an identity to fans that had never seen it before and got the ball rolling that has allowed the UFC to snowball into what it is today.

2. Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture 2 – UFC 52: Just a weeks after the Griffin-Bonner classic, the UFC followed up with The Ultimate Fighter coaches facing off for the light-heavyweight title. The PPV drew in more fans than ever before due to the success of the reality show and the finale, and the knockout win for Liddell pushed him into being the face of the organization. Liddell’s success would lead to new sponsorship for fighters, making him the first U.S. based millionaire in MMA and begin a new trend for fighters earning money outside the octagon. Liddell would also earn television roles, movie roles, a book deal, and land the cover of ESPN The Magazine during his reign as UFC champion.

3. Royce Gracie runs the table – UFC 1: Obviously UFC 100 couldn’t take place without UFC 1. While the fighting style in the opening PPV is nothing like you will see today, you still have to look at this event and note the historical ramifications. Jiu-jitsu black belt Royce Gracie seemed to be out-sized and out-matched in the eight-man tournament, but the smaller Gracie submitted all of his opponents, using technique and patience as opposed to power and force. Gracie’s success inspired others to train jiu-jitsu and helped create the fighters of today.

4. Matt Hughes vs. Royce Gracie – UFC 60: As I just explained, Royce Gracie was the first legend, but his fighting style wouldn’t survive in today’s UFC, which focus more on all-around ability as opposed to excelling at one aspect. This much was proven at UFC 60 when then-welterweight champion Matt Hughes quickly disposed of Gracie in the first round, putting a stamp on the elder generation of fighters and ushering in the new generation of amazing and athletic fighters.

5. Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock 1 – UFC 40: Up until this point, the UFC was still searching for an identity in the sports world. Dana White and the Fertitta brothers had recently purchased the UFC and needed a marquee fight to really draw the attention of fans. Shamrock and Ortiz would do just that, as the established names of both fighters presented a “dream fight” to many fans and outside spectators. The two would get plenty of media attention prior to the fight, appearing on Fox Sports Best Damn Sports Show as well as ESPN. The weigh-ins for the fight were aired on television for the first time in UFC history as well. This fight would be the prelude to the big MMA explosion that would come years down the line.

6. Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Rampage Jackson – UFC 86: This light heavyweight title fight may not stick out as significant to some, but in my opinion, this fight really exemplifies what the UFC has created with its reality show The Ultimate Fighter. At UFC 86, Griffin, the winner of the first season, became the first cast member that has never fought in the UFC prior, to win a UFC championship. Griffin’s win proved that the reality show was developing future UFC stars. It is hard to look at a UFC PPV card these days without seeing it littered with former Ultimate Fighter cast members. Griffin’s legitimized all of the fighters that have been on the show and proven that they were not just reality stars.

7. Rampage Jackson vs. Dan Henderson – UFC 75/ Henderson vs. Anderson Silva – UFC 82: Again, you may wonder why these fights are on the list, but the historical significance is huge. This was the first time that a UFC champion faced a Pride champion to unify the two titles. The argument for years was which organization was better, UFC or the Japan based Pride Fighting. Well, with Pride going under and the UFC purchasing some of the roster, we were finally able to answer some of these questions. The fights themselves may not have lived up to the hype, but crowing a undisputed champion is something for the history books.

8. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz 1 – UFC 47: Again looking to hit a home run, UFC 47 presented the Chuck vs. Tito fight that UFC fans were craving for years. The fight wasn’t for a title, but got the media attention of one. Celebrities like George Clooney and Juliette Lewis attended the live fights, which was the first time the UFC drew fans of that caliber to their live shows. Liddell’s knockout win was the beginning of his career boost, but still not as important as his win over Couture.

9. Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture – UFC 91: In this fight Lesnar won the UFC heavyweight title in just his third UFC fight. The reason I put this fight on the list is because Lesnar has been a huge draw for the UFC. His presence on UFC cards has drive up PPV buys each time he fights. Lesnar jumped to MMA after a career in professional wrestling, and his presence in the UFC brought a whole new fan base from his backing in the WWE. Lesnar has quickly become one of the most popular fighters in the world for that very reason and has started a trend of pro wrestlers looking to get into MMA, which could mean big things for the UFC. Already, Bobby Lashley has made a similar jump and has looked like he could be a future UFC fighter.

10. Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans – UFC 98: The Machida-era started just a little over a month ago as the undefeated fighter beat previously unbeaten Evans by knockout in the second round for the UFC light heavyweight title. Machida is the lone UFC fighter to have a truly karate style approach to fighting. Machida is elusive and defensive in his fighting, but accurate and deadly with his strikes when he throws them. The reason I consider this fight to be so significant is because Machida’s win breathes new life into karate. Already people have started to look more into karate for a form of fighting. Karate is no longer something your kids just do for self defense, it is now becoming an effective fighting technique thanks to Machida. Machida could start a new trend of fighters and be a revolutionary fighter in UFC history.

–Written by TSR MMA contributor Drew Ellis

- UFC 95 featured eight wild stoppages, Diego Sanchez’s successful debut as a lightweight, and a shocking (and somewhat controversial) loss for Josh Koscheck.

- MMA heavyweight Tim Sylvia is trying his hand at boxing, while boxing heavyweight Hasim Rahman is trying his hand at MMA. Of the two, we’re guessing that Rahman’s failure will be more epic.

- Georges St. Pierre’s camp has responded to BJ Penn’s accusation that he greased during their welterweight championship match last month by releasing a 17-page statement and a video showing that what his cornerman did was simply part of a breathing technique.

- Living legends Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will likely be fighting at UFC 101 in Augusy — which may also be when BJ Penn and Kenny Florian face off for the UFC’s lightweight title.

- New York Assemblyman Bob Reilly droned on and on and on about how MMA is like prostitution and how it breeds more violence in society And your point is?

- We tried to get inside the head of 0-13 fighter Scott “LionHeart” Blevins.

- WEC 39 goes down Sunday night in Corpus Christi, Texas, with featherweight champion Mike Brown making his first title defense against Leonard Garcia. Watch the action live on Versus [versus.com] starting at 9 p.m. ET, and come back to CagePotato on Monday morning for results, videos, and commentary.

UFC 91: Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar for the UFC Heavyweight Championship Title
The main event of UFC-91 is a classic example of two contradictory styles going against one another, as Randy Couture puts up his heavyweight title against Brock Lesnar at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Lesnar is still untested as a fighter, as he going into only his fourth MMA fight this Saturday night. Couture is unstoppable coming into matches where he is an underdog with a 9-1 record. Lesnar is bigger, stronger, faster and hopes to neutralized Couture’s Greco-Roman wrestling style being a former NCAA wrestling champion himself. Couture has out-muscled larger opponents in his career and expects his experience to come into play in this fight. He hopes to avoid the takedown by moving side-to-side and using his hand speed and quick legwork to neutralize his opponent’s superior strength. If Lesnar can take Couture off his feet, the question will become: Can he keep him on the mat? Pay-per-view coverage will begin Saturday at 10:00 PM

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins
The Dallas Cowboys hope the return of quarterback Tony Romo to the starting lineup will provide a spark and help them get a “W” in the win column this Sunday night in Washington. Since winning their first three games, the Cowboys have dropped four of their last six games and likely will need to win at least five of their final seven games to hopefully be considered for a playoff spot. Injuries could have a large role in determining if the Washington Redskins make the playoffs. They may have to go the rest of the season without running back Clinton Portis, who is second in the NFL in rushing with 995 yards. He injured his knee at the end of the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks ago and has not returned to the lineup. National coverage will begin Sunday at 8:15 PM on NBC.

1. Much like the BCS, strength of schedule counts. While Anderson Silva made like The Governator and kicked the bejesus out of “The Predator,” he still stands behind Georges St. Pierre, whose performance against Jon Fitch was far more impressive than “The Spider” showed against Patrick Cote.

2. You don’t fight, you don’t get ranked, simple as that. Randy Couture’s undoubtedly one of the best pound for pound practitioners in the business when he’s inside The Octagon. Problem is, he hasn’t set foot inside The Octagon since August 2007. Same rules apply to Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto.

3. After those other two, it all comes down to personal preferences.

1. Georges St. Pierre
“Rush” still stands at the top of the heap, primarily for the reason already mentioned above. The secondary reason would fall to #3 – he’s Canadian, I’m Canadian.

2. Anderson Silva
What else is there for this man to do? Regardless of how uninspiring his win at UFC 90 may have been, he’s still won eight fights in a row and doesn’t have a challenger at 185. Maybe Dana White should stop being critical of him and give him the dream fight against Chuck Liddell he’s been asking for.

3. Fedor Emelianenko
The more I think about “The Last Emperor” and his destruction of Tim Sylvia at “Affliction: Banned,” the more I think he deserves top billing on this list. As the fine folks at Fighter! magazine so intelligently said it, Emelianenko did to Sylvia in 36 seconds what it took Randy Couture five rounds to accomplish.

4. B.J. Penn
Personally, I really would’ve liked to see “The Prodigy” take another fight in between waiting for GSP in early-ish 2009. Kenny Florian was willing and waiting, but that’s just the fight fan in me complaining. A win over GSP would not only avenge an earlier loss, but also send Penn to the top of this chart.

5. Urijah Faber
Hurricane Ike could only delay Michael Thomas Brown’s destiny to be added to the roll call of challengers disposed of by “The California Kid.” Words can’t explain how much I’d love to see Faber tack on five or 10 pounds, move up to lightweight and really show if he’s as good as we think he is or simply the big fish in a shallow featherweight pool.

No Kimbo Slice? Oh, I forgot – he’s a fraud.